Castle Rock, Colorado
Overview and History Castle Rock is an organized Colorado town located approximately midway between Denver and Colorado Springs. The town is traversed by I-25 and is the seat of Douglas County. Prior to the war, Castle Rock was home to approximatly 48,000 people, most of whome were employed in Denver. The current population is estimated at 9,000 people, most of whom are employed in food production or cottage industries. During the Twilight War, Castle Rock suffered from the same general economic deprivations as the rest of the United States. A brief upturn occured during late 2011, when a particularly rich vein of oil shale was discovered to the west of town. When Denver and Colorado Springs were struck by nuclear weapons, Castle Rock was spared from damage and radiation. Fallout from the Lockheed/Martin strike fell across I-25 and few refugees from Denver went south after the blasts. Most of those that did received a lethal dose of radiation and died before reaching Castle Rock, or shortly afterward. The stretch of I-25 north of Castle Rock to Denver is called "The Boneyard" by locals for the abundance of skeletal remains and rusting abandoned (and radioactive) vehicles. Despite its sheltered location, Castle Rock is still a much smaller community than it was in 2011. Starvation and accumulated radiation left the survivors with damaged immune systems. A series of outbreaks of Bubonic Plague (likely picked up from one of the many Prairie Dogs) carried away roughly half of the population and left the community reeling. Also, marauders from the ruins of Denver have struck the town repeatedly, killing many and causing considerable damage. Castle Rock Governance Castle Rock retains its prewar government of an elected mayor and town council. The current mayor is Ellen Harwick. The town council consists of 8 men and women, each of whom assume responsibility for various aspects of the community, including utilities (such as they are), food storage, and leading the militia. Law enforcement is maintained by the Douglas County Sherriff, an appointed position currently held by Scott Dominguez, a former Denver police officer who happened to be out of town when the bombs dropped. The Windmill When the EMP surge destroyed most electronics, Castle Rock, like most places, lost the ability to generate electricity. However, after several months of scrounging, an electrical engineer was able to piece together a functioning (occasionally) wind-turbine generator. The windmill is located on the town's namesake, the large red rock formation to the immediate west of downtown Castle Rock. When not broken or stilled by the inconsistent winds, a small amount of electricity is generated. This is rationed for the town's utilities and few fuctioning industries and does not go to private residences. The Water Treatment Plant A primary reason that Castle Rock has been able to maintain a large (for the time) population is because of its functioning water treatment plant. In central areas of Castle Rock, clean water is still delivered to homes and businesses. This has prevented many of the epidemics (cholera, typhus, and other waterborne disease) that have destroyed other communities. The greatest problem facing Castle Rock is the lack of qualified personel to run and maintain the plant. Castle Rock Militia In reaction to the marauders, Castle Rock sponsors an active militia. The Castle Rock militia numbers more than 250 men and women, all of whome are volunteers and supply their own firepower (mostly sporting rifles and shotguns). Transportation is also voluntarily provided (trucks and SUVs, but some horses) and the city provides alcohol and feed, as necessary. Volunteers are given one 8 oz. can of condensed soup or vegetables for every shift served. The militia is organized into two twelve-hour shifts, one day and one night. Each shift is responsible for roadblocks maintained at the north and south ends of town on I-25, usually consisting of 12-25 militia members. Each shift is also responsible for patrols that move inside and around the edges of town (five to ten per patrol, with one vehicle for every five militia members). If an emergency occurs, such as a marauder attack, the town siren (an old WWII hand-cranked siren) is used to call all available militia volunteers for reinforcements. Category:The Western States Category:Colorado